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NHL & NHLPA Team Up With Garth Brooks

by
Staff Writer
/ San Jose Sharks

The National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players’ Association have jointly selected Garth Brooks Teammates for Kids Foundation as the official children’s charity of the NHL and NHLPA. The league-wide alliance will include players from all 30 NHL Member Clubs and utilize the League and Players’ Association’s full platform of marketing resources.

The partnership focuses on the Top Shelf Teammates program, a division of the Garth Brooks Teammates For Kids Foundation, which contributes financial resources to non-profit organizations that benefit children's health, education and inner-city services. Since its inception in 2001, over 160 NHL players have participated in the program by donating more than $1 million to the Foundation. Players contribute a pre-determined sum based on selected on-ice performance categories.

"It's great that we can join together and become teammates to help children around the world," Brooks said. "I would like to thank the NHL, the NHL players and the NHLPA for supporting this program as well as other deserving charities."

Building on the relationship, Brooks also announced that the Teammates for Kids Foundation will match up to $1 million of all monies raised in the NHL / NHLPA online auction to benefit Katrina Relief efforts. All proceeds of the Katrina Auction will be donated to “World Vision” to support those affected by Hurricane Katrina; the auction complements the NHLPA and NHL’s $1 million donation to the American Red Cross for Katrina assistance.

One of the most unique aspects of Teammates for Kids is that every dollar contributed is tripled through an affiliation with Teammates for Kids donors and that 100% of the money benefits children. The NHL and NHLPA look to add to the nearly $50 million that the foundation has generated for children’s charities.

To spread the word, the NHL will use everything from scoreboards and in-arena messaging to NHL.com. All 30 Member Clubs have a player committed to help Teammates for Kids and in the near future, foundation representatives will conduct meetings with each club to inform players, managers and team representatives with the goal to further increase NHL player participation.

The online auction, which is being conducted by the NHL and NHLPA, features game-worn jerseys from the opening home games of all 30 NHL Member Clubs and is the largest auction ever conducted by the NHLPA and NHL. The auction, which began Nov. 14 and runs through Nov. 29, is available on NHL.com, NHL club websites and NHLPA.com.

“The NHL is thrilled that our players and all 30 member clubs are able to formalize our on-going relationship with Garth Brooks,” said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. “The whole world is familiar with Garth and his amazing music, but they may not be aware of how hard he and his foundation work to support children in need. We hope that the NHL can not only help raise money, but also help spread the word about Teammates for Kids.”

“The NHLPA’s Goals & Dreams fund has supported Garth Brooks’ charity program since 2001-02, and the players are proud to enhance our partnership today,” said Ted Saskin, Executive Director of the NHLPA. “Garth Brooks has enjoyed amazing success as a performer, but his off-stage work helping children in need has been equally impressive. It gives the players great pleasure to be working even closer with Garth to help children around the world.”

About the National Hockey League Players’ Association The NHLPA launched the Goals & Dreams fund in 1999 as a way for the players to give something back to the game they love. Since inception, the NHLPA Goals & Dreams fund has donated full sets of equipment to more than 8,000 economically challenged children in 17 countries. To date, the players' program has donated more than $15-million to grassroots hockey programs around the world making it the largest program of its kind! Since 2001, the members of the NHLPA have donated more than $1 million to the Teammates for Kids Foundation. NHLPA Goals & Dreams fund has contributed more than $100,000 to help children in need.

About the National Hockey League Through the NHL Foundation, the League’s charitable arm, the NHL raises money and awareness for Hockey Fights Cancer , Hockey’s All-Star Kids and NHL Diversity, as well as supports the charitable efforts of all NHL players.

About Garth Brooks Teammates For Kids Foundation The Top Shelf Teammates program, a division of the Garth Brooks Teammates For Kids Foundation, contributes financial resources to non-profit organizations that benefit children's health, education and inner-city services. Over 160 professional hockey players have participated in the program since its inception in 2001. Players contribute a predetermined sum based on selected on-ice performance categories such as goals scored or team wins. Every dollar contributed by players is tripled through an affiliation with other donors. Because outside sources secured by the Foundation cover all operating expenses, 100% of donated money is distributed to children’s charities.